General elections will be held in Punjab and KP on April 9 according to President Arif Alvi.

ISLAMABAD – Despite the assemblies’ dissolution in January, President Arif Alvi on Monday announced a schedule for general elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwas. The electoral body and provincial governors were unable to agree on a date.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) withdrew from a meeting called by the president to discuss the election date, which led to this development.

“According to Pakistan’s Constitution, the Governors of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are not carrying out their constitutional responsibilities for appointing a date, not later than ninety days from the date of dissolution of Provincial Assemblies. As a result, elections for the Assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are being held in violation of the Constitution of Pakistan by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, the president stated, “Both the constitutional offices are placing the ball in each other’s court, resulting in delay and creating a serious risk that constitutional provisions may be violated.”

صدر مملکت ڈاکٹر عارف علوی نے پنجاب اور خیبر پختونخواہ میں انتخابات کی تاریخ دے دی
صدر مملکت نے الیکشن ایکٹ 2017 ء کے سیکشن 57 ایک کے تحت 9 اپریل بروز اتوار پنجاب اور خیبر پختونخواہ کی صوبائی اسمبلیوں کیلئے انتخابات کا اعلان کردیاhttps://t.co/Gr3iBpm8L2
— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) February 20, 2023

Alvi emphasized that the Elections Act of 2017’s Section 57(1) granted the President the authority to announce the general election date or dates after consulting with the Commission. He stated, “I have felt it necessary to perform my constitutional and statutory duty to announce the date of elections to avoid the infringement and breach of the Constitution and law” because the efforts to consult with the ECP were unsuccessful.General elections will be held in Punjab and KP on April 9 according to President Arif Alvi.

“Therefore, in exercise of powers conferred upon me under Section 57(1) of the Elections Act, 2017, I hereby announce the date of Sunday, April 9, 2023, for the holding of general elections for the Provincial Assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.” The president stated, “The Election Commission of Pakistan is required by law to issue ElectionProgramme in accordance with Section 57 (2) of the Elections Act, 2017.”